Child of the Fae: Expansion
by Rahndom
Summary: Despite what anyone else might believe, Howard Stark did believe in the fairy tales whispered to him as a child. He believed and he understood and he cherished them. A Child of the Fae he could make into anything he ever wished, a child solely made to become his parents' desire. Foolish, foolish Howard human never understood the dangers of trying to trick the Fae Queen.


Queen Titania, ruler of all the Fae, was startled that night of all hallows as she was forced from her chambers and into a strange glowing circle in the middle of what appeared to be and artificially manicured forest of human creation.

She tilted her head, surreptiously waving her fingers and ordering the midnight breeze to straighten her appearance and for the moon to shine its brightest upon her preternatural beauty.

She would not be less before whoever had forced her.

Before her was a human man and his wife, both alike in coloring and yet completely different in demeanor. For while the woman stared at her in frightful awe, the man couldn't hide his excitement and boastful pride.

It wasn't hard for the Ancient Queen to see who had disrespected her station so.

"You have summoned me into your realm of time and decay, mortals," she sneered, her ruby colored lips pursed. "Speak now."

The woman took a step back, her hands nervously reaching for the thin silver necklace of one human religion or another, the Queen felt fondness for this woman, as she usually did for those that knew her and respected her enough to fear her.

The man, on the other hand, took a step forward, his hands raised, his shoulders squared.

"Your Majesty Queen Titania, my wife and I summoned you to beg for your aid in our utmost need," he said, a line as fake and as rehearsed as the way he always took a step with his right foot, never approached on her left. "For we cannot be blessed by the joy of parenthood without your pious help."

He was knowledgeable.

The Queen nodded, her gossamer wings fluttering lightly.

"Woman, step forward," she commanded, hearing the whispers of the wind in her ears as she did so. The woman let out a soft sound of hesitation, her honey-colored eyes wide and scared.

Her husband reached for her hand, not in comfort or love, but in strength, and slowly pushed her to the foreground.

'Maria,' the wind provided. 'Mother Virgin, this one is. Mother of Sorrows.'

"Do not fear, Maria," the Queen soothed. "For I have sworn my protection to those in need."

If anything, her reassurances only made the Woman Maria lose even more of her color, made her stance hard and tight.

Good.

The woman Maria swallowed thickly, obviously in pain given how her mate's fingernails were digging into the skin of her wrists.

"Y-your Majesty, I beg of you," she stammered, her eyes downcast. "My womb is barren and I long for a child. Centuries of folk tales have been whispered to me during childhood, of the gift you can grant desperate women like me who long for the joy of motherhood life has so cruelly denied them."

The man nodded, half in agreement, and half in approval.

Queen Titania could easily tell it was not during Maria's childhood that such tales were told.

'Howard,' the wind informed her. 'Merchant of Death, Creator of Monsters.'

A slow smile curled the Queen's lips.

Of course.

This man was the one who decided to summon her, his hands the ones who traced a fairy circle, his mind who conjured such deceit.

A man believing himself over mortals trying to deceive a goddess.

Poor fool, this mortal man.

The Queen didn't stop to ponder why this human man decided her help was needed, under the telling light of the moonlight she could easily see woman Maria's womb is not as barren as she depicted. Her mate's refusal to engage her was the reason for her childless state, for the man had plans for a child of more.

Very well, Queen Titania had been summoned, something no mortal fool had attempted in several centuries.

She waved a hand lazily, enjoying woman Maria's fright and man Howard's awe as hundreds of sparks of preternatural light surrounded them.

"Choose, woman Maria and mate, for you can only take one," she decreed, instantly knowing the choice they would make, when man Howard's eyes instantly landed on a small, golden spark to their far right.

"What are they?" Maria asked, arms wrapping around herself in a feeble attempt of protection.

"The first laugh of babes," Howard whispered, his eyes watery. "These are the lights Children of the Fae are made of."

"Indeed," Queen Titania nodded, pretending to ignore the way Howard made gestures to his mate and how Maria trembled as she finally reached for that one particular spark.

"And now?" Howard asked, his own hands eagerly covering Maria's, covering the spark of life that had once belonged to the love of his heart.

It never failed to amuse the Queen.

"Now I must issue the warning that many of your kind so callously disregard," the Queen said as all other lights disappeared back into her realm. "For there is a price to all magic that you and your mate will be required to pay, Mother Maria."

"What sort of price?" Howard asked, his hands curling possessively over his chosen spark.

"Nothing as horrible as what your mortal mind is conjuring, Father Howard," the Queen soothed, her hand waving in the air. "Only small things that will keep your child healthy and protected. For I assume you do not want to lose the child you two so ardently sought?"

"Such as?" Maria asked hesitantly.

"We'll do anything," Howard swore at the same time, ignoring his mate's wide eyes.

"Number one," the Queen warned. "This is a child of love, mortals. He will need to be loved at all times, for if he is neglected, your child will wither and die."

"Absolutely," Howard said, resolute.

The Queen's smile grew dark.

"Number two," she continued. "You two are now part of the magic woven into this life you are bringing to the mortal realm. Your passion as mates will only be shared with eachother. For if one of you strays from your triad, you will both perish."

"What?" Maria asked, a tear rolling down her cheek.

Howard's own eyes were wide now, disbelieving.

Queen Titania snapped her fingers, feeling sadistic pleasure when both mortals cried in fright, the spark between their hands shone blindingly as it sealed their contract, the future of these new mortals three already being written in the stars above them.

Howard Stark had chosen the spark of the love of his life. Had planned to lure his beloved into the realm of the living with the magic of his Fae Child.

He would not live to see the moment the spark-child and his heart of hearts reunited. He would not know how the two would entwine in passion. How the tales of neglect and loneliness the child would live to tell would turn the heart of his longing dark with hatred for him.

Small mercy indeed it would be, for before any of that were to happen, Mother Maria would be driven to stray from them by her loneliness and loveless marriage.

Forcing the magic to claim both their lives.

This Child of the Fae the two were now bringing into the world would thrive in their absence, surrounded by all they ever wanted for themselves.

"Welcome to the World of the Mortals, Anthony Edward Stark," the Queen said just when the light dissipated and the first cries of a child filled the night air. "Many blessed moons will be your companions until we shall meet again."

"Wait!" man Howard, selfish Howard, foolish Howard cried. "That's not the name I-"

But it was too late, for Queen Titania was already gone.


End file.
